The present invention relates generally to locks for firearms, and more particularly to locks which are inserted within and engage the trigger guards of firearms to prevent actuation of a trigger.
The safe storage of firearms is becoming a more important issue with each passing day. All too often, news reports contain stories concerning children and adults who are either injured or killed by a person who gained access to a firearm which was either unlocked, carelessly hidden, or believed by its owner to be safely locked. Firearm locks play an important role in firearm safety, specifically where a firearm is stored or otherwise will not be used for a period of time. There are numerous types of locks for handguns, rifles and other types of firearms, including locks which engage the trigger guard or which conceal the trigger of the handgun or other firearm. One exemplary lock is an insert-type lock, which is positioned within or around the trigger guard, and covers and prevents access to the trigger.
Insert-type locks described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,664,658 to Bjorklund; 2,742,726 to Feller; 3,222,809 to Bryan; 3,392,471 to Foote; 4,509,281 to Dreiling; 4,852,286 to Troncoso et al.; 5,050,328 to Insko; 4,719,713 to Hagle; 5,033,218 to Nelson; and 5,400,538 to Shannon show gun locks which include members positioned behind a trigger and between the trigger and trigger guard or frame. However, none of those devices includes a lock positioned behind the trigger, i.e., between the rear of the trigger and the frame. It is therefore possible to remove the insert from the trigger housing even if the lock is in place. Since a lock used with any of the above devices is positioned in front of the trigger, a child or other person who removes the plug from a "locked" firearm can actuate the trigger, potentially with catastrophic results.
A lock which may be positioned behind a trigger is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,811 to Sansom. The Sansom lock device is a specially constructed lock, and designed to appear to be key-operated. A locking loop 23 is passed within a trigger guard 12 of a fire arm 11. The locking loop 23 is locked into a housing 15 by a latch plate 18a. A false key 22 is also provided, but does not operate. Sansom does not require that the lock be positioned behind the trigger. Moreover, the Sansom device does not lock. Thus, any person is capable of quickly manually removing the "lock" and firing the weapon. Sansom also does not employ a conventional lock.
In some firearms, particularly single action and some smaller caliber handguns, the spacing between the trigger and the rear portion of the trigger guard/frame is too small to receive a lock shackle. One proposed device for these firearms is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,590,516 to de von Breymann. Von Breymann shows a trigger safety for firearms, and includes a block 10, which is adapted to fit in a trigger guard 12 and defines a recess 16 for receiving the firearm trigger 18. A circular disk 28 is received for sliding movement in the block, and a handle 30 is provided for sliding the disk 28 to cover or uncover trigger 18 when the trigger is positioned within the recess 16. While the von Breymann device includes a cover 20 behind the trigger, there is no mechanism for locking the trigger safety once it is installed on the firearm. Thus, a user or another person could easily remove the trigger safety and fire the weapon.
It would be desirable to provide a locking device which overcomes the drawbacks and disadvantages of known devices.